House of Commons Hansard #98 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was guidelines.
The Speaker
As is our practice on Wednesdays, we will now sing O Canada, and at great expense we have brought in the talented member for Kindersley-Lloydminster.
John Maloney Liberal Erie, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Niagara Federations of Agriculture on their award winning educational video entitled "Where Does it All Come From?" This 13-minute children's video was recently honoured at the TVO Telefest awards gala in Toronto where it was awarded first prize in the instructional category.
The video offers children a fascinating insight into where our food comes from. The film represents a true picture of agriculture in the nineties and deals with the dairy, fruit and sheep industries.
The video was produced in partnership with the Niagara College television arts program and many talented Niagara peninsula residents contributed to its outstanding success. Lucy Decandido, a Niagara College graduate, filmed and edited the piece as her third-year project. The narration was provided by 12-year-old Keely Carter of College Street Public School in Smithville.
As one participant said: "Agriculture has a very positive story to tell and it is up to the agricultural community to tell it".
I compliment the Niagara Federations of Agriculture on their initiative to sponsor a copy of the video and teacher's kit for every elementary school in Niagara.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, November is osteoporosis awareness month. This disease, which makes bones more fragile and fracture-prone, affects more than 1.5 million people, primarily women, one woman in four and one man in eight in Quebec and in Canada.
This silent and stealthy disease has a high social cost. More than a billion dollars are spent annually on hospitalization, ambulance services and drugs to treat osteoporosis-related injuries. The total over 25 years will be in excess of $32 billion.
The physical and emotional suffering and the costs related to osteoporosis could be reduced, however, simply through prevention, particularly information, consciousness-raising and a healthy calcium-rich diet.
Osteoporosis is surely a good example of the old adage: "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, a few days ago some softwood lumber mills across Canada found out that the government is putting them out of business. They were expecting to have their exports to the United States cut by 10 per cent. They were not expecting to have to close their doors altogether.
The lumber deal the government signed with the United States is a death warrant for some small mills in this country. The industry would have been better off with the American countervailing duty at the border. The mills would have survived and then we would be well on our way to a settlement with the World Trade Organization, a solution that we recommended to the government seven months ago.
This problem has developed because the Liberal government has been afraid to take on the United States. It has buckled to American
pressure. Unfortunately, the price will be paid by employees and owners of small mills across Canada.
So much for the red book. Jobs, jobs, jobs will be lost, lost, lost.
Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, I met recently with representatives of the SDF of Cameroun, a sister party of the NDP in the Socialist International, and from them I learned that many abuses are currently taking place without an appropriate international response, considering that the democratic institutions now in operation in the Cameroun are a result of conditions set by the IMF.
For example, only a small percentage of the eligible electorate is registered and in the last election there were blatant episodes of vote rigging, ballot tampering and the overturning of results that were not favourable to the governing party.
One wishes that the IMF enforced its democratic and political requirements as strongly as it does its structural adjustment and economic requirements.
I call on the Canadian government to use its membership in the many international forums of which it is a member to engage constructively with the Cameroun to improve its democratic institutions. Strengthened democratic structures will be well worth the investment if they can prevent the kind of bloodshed and civil strife we are seeing in parts of central Africa today.
Reg Alcock Liberal Winnipeg South, MB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my four-year-old daughter, her friends and, indeed, all of the children of Winnipeg who are outraged by the unwarranted attack by the member for Regina-Qu'Appelle on Winnie the Pooh. The member charges that by profiling Winnie the Pooh on our stamps we are in danger of losing our identity as a nation.
Winnie the Pooh was born in White River, Ontario. He is named after the great city of Winnipeg. His origins have been celebrated for decades in Canada and there are statues to him in three Canadian cities.
Like a great many other Canadians, our Winnie has made it big on the international stage. He won an Oscar and has become one of the most popular children's entertainers in the world.
Contrary to the statement by the member that we are losing our identity, we are in fact enhancing it. We are celebrating a Canadian who brings joy to the hearts of children around the world.
Jack Iyerak Anawak Liberal Nunatsiaq, NT
Another young suicide victim was buried in Rankin Inlet last weekend. Another bright and capable youth who could have contributed greatly to his community and to all of Nunavut took his own life and was lost to us forever.
There have been too many deaths. Our youth, our best and brightest hopes for the future, are killing themselves at shocking rates. It has to stop.
I call on all the people of Nunavut, young and old, individuals and communities, to come together to make suicide prevention a priority. Our youth need us and we need them.
Sheila Finestone Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, next Monday Canadians will pause, as we do each year, to remember those who defended us in the battle against fascism; those who fought for us in the interests of democracy and freedom.
We will remember our family, our friends, our neighbours, those in zones of conflict in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. They met the enemy on the high seas, in the air and on the ground, worked in the factories, volunteered in their communities and gave the best of themselves. Many made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live in peace.
Let us not forget the contribution of even one Canadian in the monumental struggle against hatred, racism, tyranny. All deserve our thanks and recognition.
Veterans of the RAF Ferry Command, no less than veterans of the army, navy, air force or merchant marine, deserve recognition for the risks they took, sacrifices they made and the lives they lost in our defence.
All those Canadians who gave so much in our time of need were and are a model for all of us, both at home and around the world.
Osvaldo Nunez Bloc Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, last weekend, I took part in the annual assembly of the Canadian Hispanic Congress in Vancouver.
The hispanic community is made up of some 300,000 men and women who were born in Latin America or Spain. They came here to escape persecution, dictatorship or civil war, or merely in search of a better life.
Canadians and Quebecers of hispanic origin, of which I am one, constitute a relatively new, dynamic and growing community, with an important contribution to make to their host society. Quebec has welcomed some 80,000 Latin Americans with warmth and generosity. They have integrated well with this society, with which they have characteristics in common, due to their shared latin heritage.
As the sole member of this House of hispanic origin, I wish to greet the members of this ethno-cultural community, the executive of the Canadian Hispanic Congress, and particularly its president, Bernardo Berdichewsky.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been patting themselves on the back lately, claiming that they have kept most of their red book promises.
The facts are that of the 198 promises made in the red book, only two had a major impact on the voters and, indeed, were major reasons for voters giving their trust. The failure to deliver on jobs, jobs, jobs as well as scrap, abolish and kill the GST are the two broken promises Canadians will remember in the next federal election.
On the GST, the Liberals had no real plan to replace the $15 billion in revenue so they could scrap it. They just made a hollow promise to get elected. We are still paying the GST.
On job creation, the Liberals had no plan to help the private sector create jobs. There are as many people unemployed now as when they made their hollow jobs promise to get elected: 4.1 million unemployed Canadians is totally unacceptable.
The red book was a fairy tale that should have begun "Once upon a time". There will be a happy ending, however, with the defeat of those who make broken promises and the election of a party that gives a guarantee with its promises.
Denis Paradis Liberal Brome—Missisquoi, QC
Mr. Speaker, Wilfrid Laurier was elected Prime Minister of Canada in June. A Liberal, he is filled with enthusiasm and determination. That was 100 years ago, in 1896.
He used to say how proud he was to be French-Canadian. And it is this pride I found in Vancouver when I met with British Columbia's francophone community in mid-October.
The 70,000 francophones living in B.C. need our help. We must help them get the access they need to French-language radio and television programming.
It is this pride to be French-Canadian they are demanding. I join with my Liberal friends, my Bloc colleagues, I am sure, and my friend, the hon. member for Beauce, in calling on Heritage Canada to set aside a special budget for B.C.-oriented programming.
Wilfrid Laurier, we salute you and assure you that the 1 million French-Canadians outside Quebec have a strong voice in this Parliament.
Ted McWhinney Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Speaker, this is Veterans Week, from November 3 to 11. It is a fitting time to pay tribute to one of Canada's veterans, who is also one of my constituents, Smokey Smith.
Born in New Westminister, B.C. and enlisting in the Seaforth Highlanders Regiment in March of 1940, Smokey Smith is one of only two living Canadians who have received Canada's and the Commonwealth's highest decoration for bravery in action, the Victoria Cross.
Fifty-two years ago Private Smith's regiment headed an attack across the Savio River in Italy. It is here Private Smith earned his Victoria Cross, almost single-handedly turning back an enemy counter attack. As a result, his battalion was able to consolidate a bridgehead, vital to the success of the overall Canadian military operations in the region.
This House and its members salute Smokey Smith today. We cherish the uncommon valour and the personal commitment and sacrifice of Private Smith and of all our veterans who served Canada in two world wars and also in the United Nations military operations and peacekeeping missions around the world.
Jean Augustine Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is with a great sense of urgency that I rise to speak about the situation in Zaire.
Canadians are deeply concerned by the violence there. This part of the world is in great danger if nations and people of goodwill do not step in and prevent this violence.
I encourage all actions to ensure the safety of refugees in Zaire and to establish and protect a safe zone for aid organizations to help ease the suffering that has occurred and is occurring.
We should see these as real people, real individuals, not political issues and not a political game. I encourage all members to speak out not only among ourselves but also among our constituents. I ask all Canadians to support whatever efforts that are necessary and given by our foreign affairs and others as their work is reaching a solution in that area.
François Langlois Bloc Bellechasse, QC
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Quebecois, I wish to congratulate U.S. President Bill Clinton on his re-election.
Now that the election is over, we hope that the President will again have some elbow room to address the many international issues that were left on the backburner, especially those with Canada, on a more solid and conciliatory basis.
Let us not forget that several trade disputes remain unsettled. This includes the Helms-Burton law, whose outright withdrawal we are calling for, as well as the disputes regarding the tariffs on dairy, egg and poultry products.
Furthermore, we believe Canada could take advantage of its special relationship with its American neighbour to help revive the Middle East peace process and favour the rapid establishment of an international force that would open the eagerly awaited humanitarian corridors in eastern Zaire.
As the member for Bellechasse, I wish to thank the people of the state of Maine for voting in a referendum to allow the rational development of their forests to continue.
Jack Frazer Reform Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to once again officially commemorate the valiant sacrifices made by veterans of our navy, army, air force and peacekeepers, we pause to pay special tribute to Canadian merchant mariners, the fourth arm of Canada's services.
Their vital role in carrying supplies to our troops in battle was fundamental to allied victory.
Terrible risks were a fact of life. They faced brutal U-boat attacks, surface raiders and marauding aircraft, all attempting to interrupt this lifeline to our troops.
Merchant mariners faced severe conditions on board, shipwreck in a cruel, cold sea often covered in blazing fuel and a prisoner of war camp if they were able to reach land. Sixty-seven ships were lost and on average when a ship went down less than half the crew survived.
Four hundred died during the great war and of the 12,000 merchant mariners who risked their lives to preserve cherished freedoms in the second world war, over 1,400 died.
Despite atrocious conditions, they did not shirk their duty. Thus, it is our duty to remember the contributions and sacrifices they made; a debt too great to ever be forgotten.
Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Mr. Speaker, on April 2, our government reached an agreement with the American government over the softwood lumber issue. This agreement will give our industry immunity from legal action by the American industry for the next five years.
For our part, we have agreed to limit at 14.7 billion board feet per year the amount of softwood lumber shipped to the U.S. duty-free. To meet this commitment, we have put in place a quota system that was generally well received by the industry in the four main lumber-producing provinces.
This system will be reviewed annually and will adjust to changes in the industry and to market conditions.
The quota system is not a limit imposed on producers. In fact, it guarantees extended access to the U.S. market.
Len Hopkins Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, Monday, November 11, will be Remembrance Day and hundreds of thousands of people from across Canada will gather at cenotaphs to remember the 115,000 young Canadians who were killed in World War I and World War II, the Korean War and peacekeeping duties, plus remembering those hundreds of thousands who came home.
They gave up their future in Canada. They fought so that we could live in peace and democracy. They fought so that we can sit in this Parliament today and express the views of Canadians from across this great land of ours in a free society.
They left their farms, their businesses, their high schools, their universities. They left their loved ones behind. This is something we should never forget. They went to do their duty in a cruel world.
Today we can never take things for granted. If there is anything that we should implant in our own mind, in the minds of every Canadian citizen and everyone in the free world, do not forget them.
On Monday, let us remember them. Lest we forget.
Remembrance DayStatements By Members
The Speaker
Before going to question period we are going to have a little bit of a change. I am going to recognize the Minister of Veterans Affairs.
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSecretary of State (Veterans)(Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the House for unanimous consent for a minute of silence in respect of our Canadians veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, President Clinton's election was hailed by the Canadian government as
auguring well for the future. It is a pleasure to join the government in congratulating President Clinton, and we wish to extend our best wishes as well.
In this connection we would like to ask the Prime Minister if he intends to take advantage of the good relationship he has with President Clinton to intervene immediately and effectively against the Helms-Burton law, which is a major irritant, not only for Canada but also for many other countries, including members of the European community.
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, during the lunch break, I had a chance to talk to President Clinton and, speaking on behalf of the Parliament of Canada and all Canadians, I offered him my sincere congratulations and my best wishes for a second term.
As you know, we have a good relationship with the U.S. government at this time. We did not have a very long discussion, but I had a chance to mention some of the irritants that we would like him to monitor.
I mentioned Helms-Burton, and I also asked for his co-operation on the matter of Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi. He told me he was watching this matter very closely, and we are to have another talk within a few days. In any case, in two weeks we will be in Manila together. We will be meeting again.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Prime Minister for his reply. I felt it was important to raise these questions.
I would like to ask the Prime Minister whether he also intends to discuss with the President, on very short notice, the unfortunate habit of the United States to be overly protectionist, which creates problems and goes against the spirit of the Free Trade Agreement, as in the case of softwood lumber, for instance.
Did the Prime Minister bring this up or does he intend to, very shortly?